Can carton with handle



April 15 1958 w, FOSTER 2,830,726

CAN CARTON WITH HANDLE Filed May 27, 1955 E? I? I Thomas 20. .Fsi'er wgi Y. f

United States Patent 4 Clairns. Cl. 220-112 The present invention relates to cartons and more particularly to cartons for retention and transportation of cans of beverage and other commodities.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, sturdy and economical form of carton with carrying handle, adapted in its downfolded position to lie closely adjacent to the plane of the carton top wall, and which can easily and quickly be moved to carrying position.

Another object is to provide a carton of the type referred to which is adapted to hold two rows of cans and is formed with a center partition to separate the rows, and to combine with the partition and top walls of the carton a handle structure which during the manufacturbig stage as well as the loading and transportation stages, will remain closely adjacent to the top wall of the carton, andwhich may easily be moved from its inoperative to its carrying position. a

A still further object is to provide a two compartment carton with center partition and a top wall formed of two connected panels in which a two-thickness handle for the carton is providedby cutting one section of the handle from the partition panel and the other section from one of the connected top wall panels.

Further objects of the invention are generally to improve and strengthen can cartons of this character.

Additional and more specific objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying the present invention, showing it in expanded condition in which it may receive contents such as recessed end or chimed end cans, and showing the handle in lowered position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the handle in raised position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the preferred form of blank from which the carton may be constructed; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the completed carton in flat, collapsed condition.

The carton according to the present embodiment comprises four hingedly connected walls joined together in the shape of an open ended tube, there being a partition dividing the carton into two compartments of equal size, each of which is adapted to hold a row of cans. The top wall comprises two connected sections and a double thickness, hinged handle panel is provided at the juncture of the sections. One thickness of the handle panel is formed as an extension of one of the top sections and is cut from the partition panel and the other handle panel is formed by cutting it from within the contour of the other top section. The two handle panels are of cmparable size and shape and are adapted to be brought into face to face relation. The handle panels are adapted to lie closely adjacent the plane of the top section from which one of them is cut, and will be retained in such position until ready to be carried away from the retail store by the user.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the carton is conveniently formedfrom a single blank of folding sheet material, such as paperboard, suitably cut and creased to provide a partition panel 10, carrying an attaching flap 11 on its outer edge, a section 12 which forms half of a two-section top wall, a handle panel 13 of U-shape cut from the partition panel having its leg portions joined to the edge of the top wall half section 12, a side wall panel 14 attached to section 12, a bottom panel 15, a second side Wall section 16, a second half of the two-section top wall indicated at 17, an attaching flap 18 on the outer edge of the top wall half section 17, and a handle panel 19 of comparable size and shape with handle panel 13, having its leg portions joined to the attaching tlap 18 and being formed by cutting it from within the contour of panel 17.

A crease line 23 separates panel 10 from flap 11. A crease line 24 separates panel 12 from panel ltl and the lower ends of the legs of the handle panel 13. A crease line 25 separates panels 12 and 14. Crease lines 26 and 27 separate the bottom panel 15 from adjoining panels 14 and 16. A crease line 28 separates panels 16 and 17. A crease line 29 separates attaching tlap 18 from the panel 17 and from the lower ends of the legs of the handle panel 19.

The bottom panel and the two top wall half sections areformed with suitable cuts to provide can engaging tabs. These are indicated at 31, 31 in the bottom wall, at 32, 32 in top wall half section 12, and at 33, 33 in top wall half section 17. The provision of these can engaging tabs forms no part of the present invention, as

other means can be employed to retain the cans in the carton. For a more detailed description of the construction and use of can retaining tabs, reference is made to copending application Serial No. 511,580 filed May 27, 1955, in the name of Thomas W. Foster and assigned to the same assignee.

The assembly of the carton in its flat, collapsed form is preferably done mechanically, by applying adhesive and progressively folding the panels according to the broad principles described in the above identified copending application. For simplicity the sequence of mechanical application of adhesive and folding will be omitted as it is not necessary for the understanding of the invention.

As shown in Fig. l, the attaching flap 11 is adhesively secured to the bottom panel so that partition wall 10 will be centrally disposed with respect to the bottom wall 15 and in parallelism with the side walls 14 and 16. The attaching flap 18 is adhesively secured to the upper portion of the partition wall 10. At this point it is to be noted that, with handle panel 13 cut from the partition wall, such wall has in elfect two spaced upwardly extended portions with the outer end portions of attaching flap 18 being secured thereto. This results in portions of double thickness just below the line of juncture of the two top wall half sections, giving body and stiffness to the construction. Also, since the legs of handle panel 19 are joined to the attaching flap 18 at points close to this double thickness portion, the weight of the filled carton is effectively transmitted to the handle with minimum likelihood of failure.

After the carton has been completed it will be brought to its flat, collapsed form illustrated in Fig. 4, in which condition it is ready fortransportation and subsequent storage until the carton is ready to be used.

In the loading of the carton it is only necessary to expand it, fold inwardly the can retaining tabs and insert cans through the open carton ends so that they come to rest within the carton in position to be retained therein by the tabs.

While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, numerous changes may 2,830,726 Patented Apr. 15, 1958.

3 be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A carton having hingedly related top, bottomand two side walls formed of foldable sheet material, a partition panel hinged centrally to the bottom wall at its lower end and centrally to the top wall at its upper end, the top wall being in two half sections, one of which is integral with the upper edge of the partition panel, the other top wall half section having an attaching flap hinged to its inner edge and extending downward along and secured to the upper portion of the partition panel, a handle panel cut from within the contour of the last mentioned top wall half section and integrally joined to the upper edge of the attaching flap.

2. A carton having hingedly related top, bottomandtwo side walls formed of foldable sheet material, a partition panel hinged centrally to the bottom wall at its lower end and centrally to the top wall at its upper end, the top wall being in two half sections, the first half section being integrally joined with the upper edge of the partition panel, the second top wall half section having a hinged attaching flap extending from its inner edge and extending downward along and joined to the partition panel, a handle panel integrally attached to the inner edge of the first top wall half section, and a second'handle panel integrally joined to the upper edge of the attaching flap and cut from within the contour of the second top wall half section.

3. A carton having hingedly related top, bottom and two side walls formed of foldable sheet material, a partition panel hinged centrally to the bottom wall at its lower end and centrally to the top wall at its upper end, the

top wall being in two half sections, the first half section being integrally joined with the upper edge of the partition panel, the second top wall half section having a hinged attaching flap extending from its inner edge and extending downward along and joined to the partition panel, a handle panel integrally hinged to the inner edge of the first top wall half section and cut from within the contour of the partition panel, and a second handle panel integrally hinged to the attaching flap and cut from within the contour of the second top wall half section.

4. A carton having hingedly related top, bottom and two side walls formed of foldable sheet material, a partition panel hinged centrally to the bottom .wall at its lower end and centrally to the top wall at its upper end, the top wall being in two half sections, the first half section being integrally joined at its inner edge to the upper edge of the partition panel, a first handle panel cut from within the contour of said partition panel and integrally attached to the inner edge of said first top half section, an attaching flap integrally attached to the inner edge of said second top half section extending therefrom downward along and secured to said partition panel, said flap bridging the opening in said partition panel corresponding to said first handle panel, and-a second handle panel cut from within the contour of said second top wall half section and integrally attached to the upper edge of said attaching flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,983,689 Bedell Dec. 11, 1934 2,287,520 Freshwaters June 23, 1942 2,571,833 Chidsey Oct. 16, 1951 2,603,923 Chidsey July 22,, 1952 2,611,521 Hackman Sept. 23, 1952 2,656,960 Carruth Oct. 27, 1953- 2,659,524 McElwee Nov. 17, 1953 2,728,484 Farrington Dec. 27, 1955 

